Intelligent document

Abstract

A self-authenticating intelligent document in sheet medium form has an information storage and transfer circuit including an RFID integrated circuit and an antenna. When information is formed on the surface of the sheet medium by printing, an identical version of the visible information is stored in read-only fashion in the circuit using inductive transfer. To verify the authenticity of the document, the electronic version stored in the circuit is read out and compared with the visible version. When the two versions are identical, the document is authentic. A visible indicator is attached to the sheet medium and is illuminated whenever information is being accessed from the circuit to aid in locating a sought document stored with other documents. To minimize inductive interaction between circuits on adjacent documents, the locations of the circuits on the sheet media are staggered. The locations of the visible indicators are also staggered to facilitate viewing when activated.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An intelligent document comprising: 
 A sheet medium for providing a surface on which information can be formed in a visible manner; and    An information storage and transfer circuit carried by said sheet medium for storing an electronic copy of said information in a read-only manner so that verification of the authenticity of the document can be performed by reading out the electronic version of said information and comparing it with the visible version.    
     
     
         2 . The invention of  claim 1  wherein said information storage and transfer circuit includes an RFID integrated circuit and an antenna.  
     
     
         3 . The invention of  claim 1  wherein said intelligent document further includes a visible indicator located along a margin of said sheet medium; and wherein said information storage and transfer circuit further includes a circuit for activating said visible indicator when information stored in said information storage and transfer circuit is accessed.  
     
     
         4 . The invention of  claim 3  wherein said visible indicator comprises an LED indicator.  
     
     
         5 . The invention of  claim 1  wherein said information storage and transfer circuit is physically positioned in a preselected location on said sheet medium.  
     
     
         6 . The invention of  claim 5  wherein the location of the information storage and transfer circuit of different intelligent documents is different for different documents.  
     
     
         7 . The invention of  claim 3  wherein the location of the visible indicator of different intelligent documents is different for different documents.  
     
     
         8 . A method of preparing a self-authenticating intelligent document, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a sheet medium having a surface on which information can be formed and an information storage and transfer circuit in which information can be stored;    (b) forming information on the surface of the sheet medium in visible form; and    (c) storing an identical version of the information formed in step (b) in the information storage and transfer circuit in a read-only manner so that the prepared document contains a visible version of the information and an electronic version of the information which cannot be altered.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said step (c) of storing includes the step of inductively transferring the information into the information storage and transfer circuit through an antenna included therein.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  further including the steps of providing a visible indicator on the sheet medium; and activating the visible indicator when information stored in the information storage and transfer circuit is being accessed in order to provide a visible indication of information access.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  further including the step of verifying the document after initial preparation by reading out the information stored in the information storage and transfer circuit to enable a comparison between the stored version and the visible version formed on the surface of the sheet medium.